Chapter 24 Summary

Ishmael arrives at his mother's house, delivering some supplies that he bought in order to keep her safe and warm during the storm. However, Ishmael's mother, Helen, is doing fine, despite losing her heat and power. In fact, she is still energetic enough to chop wood, which she was doing before Ishmael arrived.

Once Ishmael is settled comfortably, Ishmael's mother tells her son that Kabuo was only arrested only because he is Japanese. Ishmael protests by pointing out the evidence that is clearly against Kabuo, but Helen Chambers dismisses it out of hand. Instead, she puts her faith in emotion and feeling instead of cold facts and she urges Ishmael to do the same.

That night, Ishmael rereads the letter that Hatsue wrote him from the internment camp and remembers how happy he was with her in the days before she was sent...